School officials talk federal funding

BY STACI WILSON

AsBlue Ridgestudents settled in for their first day of classes Tuesday, the district also hosted Rep. Tom Marino (R-10th District) to discuss federal education funding.

The congressman met with school administrators, board members, Title 1 teachers and district students in a classroom in the elementary school.

Board President Laurie Brown-Bonner told the freshman congressman that she was concerned about the district’s accountability for so many unfunded mandates passed down to schools from the federal and state government.

Bonner said the district is losing Title 1 dollars every year.

“We need the tools to meet those mandates,” Board member Shane Rumage said.

But he said Blue Ridge does well with the funds it does receive. “Our priorities are different than other districts,” he said.

One of those areas is the spending of Title 1 funds.

Although receiving funds to support two positions, the district has kept four Title 1 teachers in place. Those teachers are working to assess each students needs on a personal level.

With benchmark assessments used to identify where students are having difficulty,Blue Ridgeuses the Title 1 funds to keep students out of the special education program.

Superintendent Robert McTiernan said, “There are positive results (atBlue Ridge) from what Title 1 supports.”

“We’re committed to funding this. It works, you can see it in our kids,” said Bonner.

Marino asked the educators how they dealt with students who were disruptive in the classroom.

“You folks need to make that determination, and not have it made at the federal or state level,” Marino said.

Special Education Coordinator Bobbi McCain said the district has been creatively utilizing staff so that every student’s needs are met but other students are still flourishing.

McTiernan highlighted the disparity in the Title 1 disbursements. He said money that goes into Title 1 ends up going to struggling schools and programs. The funds don’t come here, he said, and may be funneled into districts that are badly managed.

The superintendent suggested the government look into how districts are evaluated and funded.

“No one even bothers to question ‘Is it well run?” he said.

“I’d like to see more frontline teachers designing what is going to work for your schools,” Marino said.

The congressman, who also holds a degree in secondary education, said he was a strong supporter of education but that if, at the federal level, the Department of Education can’t run any better, then it should be dismantled.

“We keep doing more with less,” said Bonner. “Our resources are stretched to the max.” She said the district faced either a massive tax hike or major cuts to programs as early as next year.

McTiernan said it was important for legislators to see what happens in the schools firsthand.

“It’s vital (elected officials) get to see a district like ours. We’re not terribly broken. We’re productive with the tax dollars at use,” said the superintendent.